Thursday, September 26, 2013

More Opening Day Photos From Michael Black

Awhile back, I posted a number of photos that Daveland reader Michael Black had been kind enough to share from his Blackened Roots blog. Recently, he uncovered ten more shots that were also taken on the official public Opening Day of Disneyland, July 18, 1955. Beginning with image number one, I will let Michael narrate:

My father’s foster brother, Richard, realizing too late that he’s in my grandmother’s shot of the entrance to Frontierland.

The departure of the Mark Twain Steamboat to an adventure on the Rivers of America:

The Mark Twain Steamboat on the Rivers of America:

The Golden Horse Shoe Revue, taken from aboard the Mark Twain Steamboat:

The half-completed entrance to Adventureland:

What a great shot this could have been…this is a view from a Jungle Cruise boat, back when the ride was intended to be a serious adventure:

A rhino from the Jungle Cruise:

The TWA Moonliner and the Avenue of Flags in Tomorrowland:

Another shot of the TWA Moonliner, this one surprisingly well executed (although the negative has gotten crinkled from rough handling):

And last, but by no means least, the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle. It’s an odd vantage point; did they go “off trail” to get this shot?

Many many thanks to Michael for sharing this amazing collection of historic photos.

Very neat! That was also the day my parents, brother and I first went to Disneyland. Trust me, I looked long and hard at these pictures to see if we were in any of them, but no such luck. My Dad did not take any photos that day - drat!

Ditto Irene's comment. My Dad had done some of the air-conditioning in the park, so we had passes for that day. I may have been inside the Horseshoe Saloon when that picture was taken... 25 years later I was performing in the show, understudying Wally Boag!

About Me

Photographer/artist for hire and pop culture junkie. My art has been on “Larry King Live!”, book published, and gallery exhibited. I take a lot of photographs and spend way too much time at Disneyland.